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The 47-year-old pro surfer and co-inventor of tow-in surfing, an insane version of the sport whereby the surfer is towed by a motor craft, on what it takes to catch a big wave By Cal Fussman Originally published in the April 2011 Extreme Health issue Just because people are doing extraordinary things doesn't mean they're not ordinary people. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is to stand on golf balls and roll them along my arches. You have seventy-four hundred nerve endings on your feet, so you stimulate your whole metabolism when you do that. When...

Thomas J. Barrack, Jr. August 18, 2010 Today is the ten-year anniversary of Laird Hamilton’s mammoth and infamous forty-foot, tow-in wave at ferocious Teahupoo in Tahiti. As most of you know, Laird was the guest speaker at our Investors Conference in 2008 and he and his amazing wife Gabby have become great personal friends of mine. Laird is probably the best all-around waterman on earth and also one of the best all-around gentlemen on earth. I am increasingly impressed by his philosophy and commitment to evaluating and conquering “risk envelopes” as well as his gentle and compassionate nature with all...

By: surfermag/ Posted on July 22, 2010 After much anticipation (Read all about it here), I trekked up to Malibu to engage in what would surely be a torturous day of training with Laird Hamilton and his Race Across America relay crew, Team Surfing USA. While I was apprehensive about training with Laird, a little research into his relay team revealed an impossibly more intimidating character in 76-year-old Don Wildman. I know. How could a seventy-six year-old man possibly emanate the intimidation factor of the 6’3” 215 lb. superhuman that is Laird Hamilton? But as his surname suggests, Wildman isn’t...

I’m not sure how I get volunteered for these things. A few weeks ago, an e-mail chain popped up at work announcing I would train with Laird Hamilton for a day as he prepares for a four-man endurance-cycling competition called Race Across America. Of course, Laird will stand-up paddle 115 miles from Malibu to Oceanside before the 3,000-mile bike race even begins, and at the race’s conclusion he has opted to stand-up paddle to and around the Statue of Liberty; a thorough bench-pressing of America, if you will. Needless to say, I’m pretty nervous. Don’t get me wrong, I’m psyched...

By: surfermag/ Posted on July 22, 2010 Laird Hamilton is a unique amalgamation of pioneer test pilot and waterman, a sort of Chuck Yeager meets Duke Kahanamoku, if you will. He is not only relevant, Laird Hamilton defines what will be relevant. He’s forging our surfing future— that’s right, yours and mine– at an exponential rate. And oh yeah, he hangs with James Bond. Laird came by the SURFER magazine office to discuss the DVD release of The Ride / The Day: A two-part expose into the world of Maui’s most notorious surf spot and the principals who claim her...